Gasholder



Nov. 28, 1944. J. H. WIGGINS GAS HOLDER Filed Nova-l, 1940 FIGJI,

Ill/l ll I I I NVE/VTOR JOHN H. W/GG/MS' ATTORNE I Will/1111971111,!

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 GASHOLDER John H. Wiggins, Chicago, Ill. Application November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,835 39am. (Cl. 48.4178) This invention relatesto apparatus of the general type disclosed in my prior United States Patents Nos. 2,050,405, 2,050,665, and 2,050,686,

dated August 11, 1936, and No. 2,102,299, dated December 14, 1937; In apparatus of the kind described in said patents the gas space or chamber thatholds the medium being stored, comprises a vertically-movable member that constitutes either the top or bottom of said gas space or chamber, a co-operating stationary member provided with a side wall and with a part that is arranged in opposed relation to said verticallymovable member, and a flexible element made of gas-tight fabric or other suitable flexible material attached to said movable and stationary members, so as to constitute an extensible side wall portion of the gas space that produces a gastight joint or connection between the vertically movable member and stationary member and provides for the rise and fall of the vertically movable member of thegas space. I have herein illustrated my present invention embodied in 'a gas holder of the general construction illustrated in my said'prior Patent No. 2,102,299, but I wish it to be understood that many of the features of my present invention are applicable to and capable of being successfully embodied in an apparatus that is used for storing liquids and/or gases.

One object of my present invention is to pro-' vide an apparatus of the general .type mentioned. in which the vertically-movable member of the gas space or storage chamber, is con-.

structed in a novel manner that makes-it well adapted for use in a large size apparatus having a gas space or storage chamber of relatively great diameter.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the general type previously referred to, that is equipped with a counterweighting mechanism for the vertically-movable member of the gas space, housed completely within the apparatus and constructed so that it is not necessary to provide said vertically-movable member with holes or stufllng boxes for the chains or cables of the counterweighting mechanism.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the kind last referred to, in which a housing for the counterweighting mechanism extends upwardly through the vertically-movable member of the gas space or storagechamber and constitutes a support for a stationary roof that may consist either of the top-wall of the gas space, or a .weather shield disposed above the vertically-movable member of the gas space.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the general type previously mentioned, that is equipped with a novel means for preventing the flexible element or elements which provide for the rise and fall of the vertically movable member of the gas space, from freezing on or adhering to the side wall of the gas space or storage chamber.

Another object is to provide a novel means for collecting or removing from the gas space.

or storage chamber, condensate that collects on the inner surface of the side wallof said chamber.

And still another object of my invention is to provide means for preventing condensate that collects on the underside of the roof of the gas space from finding its way into the loop of the flexible element that is attached and the vertically-movable part so as to provide for the rise and fall of saidvertically-movablepart. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

to the side wall of the gas space Figure 1 of the drawing is a vertical transverse sectional view of a gas holder constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, illustrating one form of construction that may be used to prevent the flexible element attached to the peripheral. edge of the vertically-movable member of the gas space, from freezing on or adhering to the side wall of the gas space and for removing fromsaid space condensate that collects on the side wall of same; and

Figure 3 is a verticalsectional view, illustrating another form of construction that may be used for the same purpose for which the construction shown in Figure 2 is employed.

In the drawing X designates the gas space of a gas holder provided with a stationary cylindrical side wall A, a stationary roof or top B herein illustrated shape, and a bottom formed by a vertically-movable member or piston C, whose peripheral edge is connected by means of a flexible, gas-tight element D with the side at the bottom edge of said side wall. The side wall A is arranged in an elevated position, i. e., a

. at a point considerably above the surface of the ground on which the apparatus is erected, and said side wall is sustained or supported by any suitable kind of a supporting structure E, which is of such height that the movable member or piston C ofthe gas space is capable of moving downwardly a considerable distance below the as being of substantially cone 1 wall A of the'gas space bottom edge of the side wall of the gas space X, as shown in Figure '1, thus producing a gas space of relatively great volume. The sidewall A and the roof B are of gas-tight construction, but the supporting structure does not have to be gas-tight.

The piston C is combined with a counterweighting mechanism that is housed 'in a novel manner on the interior of the apparatus, and which comprises a part that, in addition to serving as a supporting structure for the sheaves or pulleys'of the counterweighting mechanism, also serves as a support for the central part of the roof B of the gas space. The part just referred to consists of a tubular member or cylinder F disposed vertically at the center of the gas space, and extending upwardly from the ground on which'the apparatus is erected, to the central -portion of the roof B that is attached to said sheaves 2 carried by the center tubular support F, and thence downwardly from said sheaves to a weight'3 that is arranged inside of and housed by the center tubular member F. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the chains or cables I are attachedat one end to a collar '4 positioned some distance above the piston C and rigidly attached to the piston by any suitable means, as, for example, by a plurality of center posts 5 and radially-disposed tension rods 6 that impart the necessary strength and stiffness to the piston C to make it commercially feasible to embody my invention in a large size gas holder having a gas space of relatively great diameter. If necessary, the stationary roof B of the gas space may be reinforced and strength ened by truss rods 1 and struts 3, but the primary support of the roof consists of the tubular member F of the counterweighting mechanism that carries the chain pulleys and houses the chain weight of said counterweighting mechanism. As shown in Figure l, the upper end of the-tubular center support F is clo sed-by a gas. tight cap 9, and said tubular center member is provided at its lower end with a gas-sealeddrain device'lllfwhich may consist of an inverted syphon.

One novel feature of my present invention consists in arranging the flexible'element D at the peripheral edge of the piston C, in such relationship with the side wall A of the gas space, that there is no liability of said flexible element freezing on or adhering to said side wall.. I attain this desirable result by attaching the upper end or outer edge of the sealing element D to 'an inwardly, off-set part at the lower end-of the side wall A, said inwardly offset part being produced either in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in the manner shown in Figure 3. Thus, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side wall A may be provided at its lower end with an inwardly bent or oflset portion A, to which the flexible element D is clamped, by a removable clamping bar H, or the side wall A may be provided at its lower end with an angle A welded or connected to the inner side of same in any other suitable way and arranged with one of its legs or flanges disposed vertically, as shown in Figure 3, so as to constitute a surface to which the flexible element D can be detachably con-. nected by a removable clamp ll. With either of the structures just described the flexible elee ment D is prevented. from touching the side wall A of the gas space on which condensate is liable to collect, and consequently, there is no liability of the flexible element D freezing on or adhere ing to the side wall of the gas space. Preferably, the apparatus is operated at zero, or a very slight positive pressure, say, plus of water. Consequently, the flexible element D will hang plumb from the piston C, whenthe gas space is about one-half full. It is not necessary to construct the supporting structure E for the stationary side wall of the gas chamber so that the flexible ele-, ment D will not touch or bear against said supporting structure, inasmuch as the supporting structure E is not gas-tight. When the supporting structure E is formed from a cylindrical shell,

for automatically removing from the gas space X condensate that collects on the inner surface of the side wall A of said gas space. Said means may be constructed in the manner shown in Figure 2, or in the manner shown in Figure 3.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 2,

the clamping bar H, used to attach the flexible element D to the inwardly offset side wall portion of the gas space, is constructed or arranged so' that it acts as a trough, on the interior of the gas space, that receives condensate which collects on and drains downwardly over the inner face of the side wall A of the gas space. Figure 2 shows the upper portion of the clamping bar II as being bent. laterally slightly and provided with lugs l3 that cause said bar to bedisposed 15 such relationship with the inwardly offset side wall portion of the gas space as to form a condensate trough on the interior of the gas space. enoe of the side wall A of the gas space, U-shaped outlet devices II are arranged so as to permit the condensate to escape from the trough above referred to, through holes I5 in the side wall of the gas space. The outlet devices or discharge devices H from the internal condensate trough of the gas space, are sealed with liquid I6, as shown in Figure 2. In the alternative construction used to attach the flexible element Dto the side wall portion of the gas space, and illustrated in Figure 3, the angle A serves as a trough that receives condensate which collects on and drains downwardly on the inner face of the side wall necessity of bending or deforming the side wall Another novel feature of the apparatus here- I in illustrated is that it is provided with means At intervals around the circumfer-' it causes the flexible element D to hang clear of i the supporting structure E when the piston C is-in its lowermost position, assuming, of course, that the apparatus is operated at or very near zero pressure gauge inside of the gas space.

In order to prevent condensate from dripping from the roof B of the gas space into the fold or loop of the flexible element D, I attach a vane I! to the underside of the said roof at such a point that condensate on the under surface of the roof B will flow downwardly over same to the vane l1 and then drip downwardly from same onto the top side of the piston C, the vane it being disposed out of vertical alignment with the loop or fold of the flexible element D, as shown said vertically-movable member operatively connected with same and housed by said roof supporting member. a

- 2. An apparatus of the kind described. in claim 1, in which the r001. supporting member i of tubular form and the counterweight is arranged to travel vertically inside of said member.

3. An apparatus of the kind described in claim g 1 in which the counterweight is connected with in Figure 1, or in other words, disposed at a point some distance inwardly from the point at which the inner edge of the flexible element D is at= tached to the piston C. The slight quantity of condensate that may find its way onto the top side of the piston C will evaporate without causing any damage or interfering with the proper functioning of the apparatus. The reference character It designates a. combined gas inlet and outlet.

In order that the apparatus may be operated a at the same pressure in all positions of'the piston C, the chains or cables I of the counterweight ing mechanismare designed so that the weight of same is substantially equal to the weight of the flexible elements D and D. Since the weight oi the flexible elements D and D increases as the piston C rises, the internal pressure must decrease as the piston rises. But as the weight 3 moves downwardly, the increasing weight of the chains I balances the increasing weight or the flexible elements D and D. Thus, by adding weights along the length of the chain or cables I, or by making the weight per foot of said chains or cables the same as the weight per foot of the flexible elements D and D, the apparatus will operate at the same pressure in all positions of the piston C.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letter Patent is:

1. In an apparatus provided with agas .stor age space or chamber having a stationary side wall, the combination of a vertically-movable member that forms one horizontally-disposed wall of said gas space, a stationary roof arranged above said vertically-movable member, a supporting member for said roof extending upwardly through an opening in said vertically-movable member, gas-tight, flexible diaphragms attached to said verticallymovable member and to said side wall and roof supporting member so as to provide for the rise and fall of saidvertically-movable member, and a counterweight for iii,

the vertically-movable member by flexible devices, and sheaves or pulleys, over which said flexible devices travel, mounted on said roof supporting member adjacent the upper end of same.

4. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a gas storage space or chamber provided witha stationary side wall, a vertically-movable member whoseposition is adapted to change to' vary the volume of the gas storage space, a gastight, flexible diaphragm attached to said memher and to. the side wall 01' the gas storage space,

a top wall for said gas storage space, and a collec- 5. An apparatus of the kind described in claim 4, provided with. a discharge outlet for said collection trough, and a liquid seal for said discharge outlet.

7 6. An apparatus of the kind described in claim 4, in which said collection trough extends circumferentially around the lower end portion of the side wail of the gas space, and means for permitting the condensate to escape from said trough at a plurality oi? points.

7. An apparatus of the kind described in claim 4, in which the collection trough at the lower end of the side wall of the gas storage space is provided with an inwardly offset portion to which said diaphragm is attached.

8. A gas holder having a gas storage space pro- I vided with a stationary side wall, a verticallymovable piston that constitutes the bottom of the gas space, a roof that constitutes the top of the.

I ing and discharging from the gas space condensate that drains down theinner face of the side wall of the gas space. 9. An apparatus oi the kind described in claim 4, provided with means for causing condensate on the underside of the top wall of the gas space to be diverted from the side wall of said gas space and discharged onto said vertically-movable member.

. JOHN H. WIGGINS. 

